About the Royal Artillery Cricket Club

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The Royal Artillery Cricket Club was founded well before the end of the 18th century. The earliest record of a match, so far discovered, is 1765 and by 1818 it was a going concern of some stature and influence, for in June of that year it was granted a fixture against MCC at Lord’s. For that to have happened, the RACC must have been a well-established and prominent club.

It was originally formed by officers at Woolwich as a private club and only became an official, properly constituted Regimental club in 1906. Although it was an officers’ club, soldiers of the required standard were permitted to play in important matches, and several appeared with distinction in matches against MCC and later against the Royal Engineers, who were first played in 1864. The annual, 3 day, Gunner-Sapper Match is now the highlight of the cricket calendar.

With the advent of National Service after the Second World War, it was agreed that soldiers could play ‘at match manager’s discretion’, and several future county and test players were able to represent the club as a result. After National Service ended soldiers continued to play and the RACC gradually evolved into the club for all ranks that it is today.

Anyone who is good enough to play regularly for his unit team should be good enough to represent the Royal Artillery and he should get his unit cricket officer to put forward his name.

Retired Gunners are eligible to play in matches against civilian sides. Anyone interested should contact the secretary.